"His mercies never come to an end" Lamentations 3:22

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Jesus wants to clean your temple: A homily for the Third Sunday of Lent (B)

Today we see Jesus cleaning out the temple. He wants to clean out your temple, and my temple, too. He wants to clean up our lives. Scripture says that our bodies, our souls are temples of Jesus. He wants to do some spring cleaning.

Because there’s a lot of pollution in our bodies and lives. We consume a lot of spiritual junk food and literal junk food. Jesus wants to clean it all out, he wants to purify our lives. How does he do this? How does he purify our souls?

Well, for one, he gives us the ten commandments, as our first reading says. These commandments are a roadmap for us to heaven, and to happiness and holiness on earth. Following these commandments brings about a pure heart, a pure life. Whenever there is dirt and pollution on our souls, it is because we have failed in one of these commandments.

When Jesus cleaned out the temple in our gospel, he seemed a little upset. He has every right to be. And I imagine he is with our lives too. Get into shape, he says. And it is time.

So let’s review them and how to live them….

Whenever we fail in these commandments….it is time to have the ultimate temple cleansing…CONFESSION. GO TO CONFESSION.